Striping means for knitting machines



Dec. 29, 1925 1,567,883

E. WILDT S'IRIPING MEANS FOR KNITTING MACHINESl Filed Feb. 1e /3 1922 5 sheets-sheet 1 Dec. 29 1925. 1,567,883

E. WILDT STRIPING MEANS FOR KNITTING MACHINES rm I Dec. 29 1925 1,567,883

E.HLDT

STRIPING MEANS FOR KNITTING MACHINES Filed Feb. 1e, 1922 s sheets-shea@ f'f LPI- F/GJO TTY.

`l-atentetl Dec. 29, 1925.

lUNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

EDWIN WILDT, OF LEICESTER, ENGLAND, ASSIGNOR TO WILDT & CO. LIMITED, 0F LEICESTER, ENGLAND, BRITISHCOMIANY.

STRIPING MEAN S FOR KNITTING MACHINES.

Application ilcd February 16, 1982. Serial Nb. 586,919.

This invention relates to circular knittingA machines more especially of the t pe employed for producing seamless stockings and socks, and concerns striping means therefor as will be hereinafter described.

The object of the, invention is an improved form and arrangement of means for producing vertical stripes or vertical`patterns, such as in the leg and instep or foot of the knitted article, the main feature being to enable a largevariety of patterns to be formed. l

In circular machines which, for making seamless heels and toesz are capable vof operating with an oseillatmg motion, it is already well known to use mechanism for pio ducing continuous vertical stri es such as by means of one or more coloure yarns. The present invention comprehends means in machines of this kind which can either be used to make continuous stripes in the known manner or can be used to produce an interrupted, intermittent or broken stripe, or a smaller attern such as spots, distributed longitudinally in the knitted tube.

To `this end means are furnished to control the action of the striping needles so that during knitting of the tube of fabric said needles `may be brought .into and out 0f action as required, thus enabling `the stripe or pattern produced by said needles to appear in such ferm as may be prearranged.

It is also a feature of the invention that not only may the striping needles as a whole be controlled if desired, but the improved mechanism enables certain of the said needles or certain series of the said needles to be controlled independently of the others whereby a large variety of pattern effects may be obtained.

The method of striping or`patternin to which the present invention is applicab e is that wherein the needles take two yarns when no pat-tern is to ,bei formed and miss one of said yarns when they are to form a stripe `or pattern. The needles capable of missing one yarn are hereinafter termed than those of the others.

striping needles. Theya'rn missed by the needles is thrown to the back of the fabric While the remaining yarn is knitted and appears on the face of the fabric in contrast to the non-patterned parts.

The means comprising the invention operate to select out from the complement of i striping or patterning needles those which areto miss the yarn and to operate said selected `needles in such a manner that they will not take the yarn for one or a predetermined number of courses thereby producing a pattern by the other yarn the continuity of which can be broken bycausing said needles to take both yarns.

Broadly the invention consists of an arrangement wherein the striping needles have butts of different length, and a cam is movably arranged so as to act u on the different butts when it occupies di erent positions. The function of the cam is to depress the selected `needles so `that the miss the yarn furnished at the lower end of the stem with a butt to be engaged by the movable cam the butts of some of the needles being longer In one position the cam. will engage only the long butts, while in another position it will enga e both the long 'and the short butts. -In t is arrangement the cam is moved upwards to miss all the butts.

A concrete embodiment ofthe lnventlon 1s shown in the acompanying drawings, wheres Figure 1 is a front elevation of part of a\ circular knitting machine having the invention applied'thereto. Figure 2 is a plan of the same. Y Fi re 3 is a side elevation viewed from the right of Figure 1.

Figure 4 is an inside elevation of the means for actuating the movable cam.

Figure 5 shows said means in vertical section.

Figure 6 is an inside elevation of the bracket and movable cam.

the cam 2 is moved outwards by a spring actuated plunger 21 (Figures 7 and 8) which acts against a lip 22 on the slide. The slide is moved inwards by passage of its outer 5 Figures 7, 8 and 9 are plan views of the edge 23 in contact with a cam plate 24 (Fig- 7U mechanism of Figure 6 and show the parts ures 1 to 5) arranged in the block 14 and thereof in different positions. moved to diierent horizontal planes by Figure 10 is a section on line 10-10 of a lever 25 from the pattern chain 18 in'sim- Figure 7 ilar manner to the other cam plate 13 already 10 Figure 11 is a section on line 11-11 of described. 75

Figure 7, y To hold the slide plate 7 and the slide Figure 12 is a section on line 12-12 of 3 in the inward position after they have Figure 7. been pressed in by the cam plates a locking Figure 13 is a section on line 13-13 of catch is combined with each. These catches 15 Figure 8. are indicated at 26 and'27 (Figures 7 8, 11 80 Figure 14 shows two striping needles having butts of diierent length, l

Figures 1 to 3 are drawn to a smaller and 12) and consists of cams mounted to turn on a pin 28 each under the influence of va spring plunger 29. Each flocking catch scale than the remaining figures and has a nose 30 which when its slide is pressed 201 throughout the drawings like parts are desinwards moves behind a projecting part 31 S5 v ts bring the cam into diiferent positions for actin on butts of different length oncthe striping needles.

2. In a circular knitting machine, striping means kcom rising stripi needles having butts of di erent len h t ereon, a cam movable both horizontal y and vertically, the latter movement bein used to brin the cam into and out of action, and the' orizontal movement .being used to bring the cam into different ositions for acting on butts of different ength on the striping needles, and pattern mechanism to operate and control said cam so that4 duri the knitting of the tube of fabric the strlpin needles may be brought into and out o action in a prearranged manner to produce a stri e or pattern. v

3. n a circular knitting machine, strip* ing means comprising striipi needles having butts of di erent length t ereon, a cam for acting upon said butts, a slide upon which said cam is mounted so as to move vertically whereby it is brought into and out of action, a bracket in which said slide is movable horizontall cam into different ositions for acting on butts of different length on the 'striping for bringing the needles, said cam' and slide being spring' actuated in one direction, devices to move ysaid cam and slide 1n the other directlon,

and pattern mechanism to control said de- .cam for acting upon said butts, a slide upon whichsaid cam is mounted so as to move vertically whereby it is brought into and out of action, a bracket in which said slide is movable horizontally for bringing the cam into diiierent ositions for acting on butts of different ength on the striping needles, said cam and slide being spring actuated in one direction, devices to move said cam and slide in the other direction, pattern mechanism to control said devices, and a locking catch which o erates automatically in one direction to old ythe cam and slide in one of its positions and is moved in the opposite direction byA one of the aforesaid pattern controlled devices.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification.

EDWIN WILDT. 

